Incoming Majority Leader James Agalga has called for calm amid an escalating dispute over extortion allegations involving Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
Builsa North MP Agalga says the matter should now be left to the courts and state agencies to investigate, rather than allowing the allegations and counter-allegations to escalate further.
He said several legal and institutional processes had already been triggered
“I think that the appropriate institutions of state, law enforcement, etc., have invoked their powers. So I think that we should wait and see. Let’s adopt a wait-and-see approach,” he said.
Mr Agalga said he would not comment on the substance of the allegations because the Minority Leader had indicated that he had initiated legal action over the matter.
“Now, I do not want to delve into the merits or otherwise of the allegations made because the Minority Leader hinted that he had actually initiated some suits, you know, in respect of this same matter. And therefore, as a lawyer, I would not want to delve into the merits,” he said.
He also noted that some individuals had petitioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor over the matter.
The OSP has acknowledged that it has begun preliminary investigations.
Mr Agalga said the outcome of those processes could determine whether any of the parties involved would be held liable or culpable.
“So, for now, I think that we need to allow cool heads to prevail and let there be a ceasefire for now,” he said.
He said the Minority Leader had gone to court to vindicate his rights, while others had petitioned state agencies.
“Let’s see, when invitations are extended to the parties involved, they may unravel certain things that should be of interest to all of us,” he said.
“But for now, I will call for calm and that there should be a ceasefire so that the agencies of the state and the courts can have peace of mind.”
Mr Agalga, however, acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations and their potential impact on Parliament.
“Well, it’s quite disturbing, to be very frank with you. So those allegations carry a lot of weight,” he said.
He said the seriousness of the claims could explain why the Minority Leader had taken the matter to court.
“I guess that is why the minority leader himself has found it necessary to take out writs before the law courts,” he said.
Asked whether Parliament itself should investigate the allegations because they concern one of its most important offices, Mr Agalga pointed to the possibility that the Speaker could receive a petition.
He said he was not certain whether Speaker Alban Bagbin had been officially served with the petition, but expressed confidence that the matter would become known if the Speaker received it.
“Knowing who Mr Speaker is, I would have no doubts at all that once he gets hold of a petition of that sort, we would know about it,” he said.
The incoming Majority Leader’s call for a ceasefire comes as the allegations have increasingly drawn Parliament into a dispute that is now before the courts and state investigative authorities.
